Railroad-frog



(No Model.) 7 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

T. BREEN.

RAILROAD FROG.

Patented Feb. 7,1882.

WITNESSES yzldxfm N. PETERS. Prmwmlw n hw. Washington. D. c.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2- T. BREEN,

RAILROAD FROG.

No. 253,177. Patented Feb. 7,188.2.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

T. BR-EEN.

RAILROAD FROG.

Patented Feb. 7.1882.

-zen of the United States, residing at Knowlton,

3, upon which the shifting rail moves. Like UNITED STATES PATENT OFFrcE.

THOMAS BREEN, OF KNOVVLTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILROAD-FROG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 253,177, dated February7, 1882.

' Application filed October 15, 1881. (No model.)

10 all whom it may concern Be it known that l, THOMAS BREEN, a citiinthe county of Delaware and btate of Pennsylvania, have invented certainnew and use ful Improvements in Railroad-Frogs, of which the followingis a specification, reference being bad therein to the accompanyingdrawings, and

in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved automatic frog. Fig. 2is a section taken inside of the guard, showing in side view thefrogactuating lever. Fig. 3 is a section through the shifting rail andits bed, showing the pivotal pin and guide-pin of said rail. Fig. 4 is avertical section, drawn through the frog-operating mechanism. Fig. 5 isa horizontal section, showing in plan the aforesaid mechanism and Fig.6is a detailed side view of the guard and lever, showing the bolt servingasitsfnlcrum and the bolt or pivot locking plate, also adapted to closethe opening in the guard through which the spring-rod of the frog orshifting rail passes. a

This invention relates to improvements in that'classof devices termedautomatic frogs and it consists in the substitution, in lieu of thecommon frog, of a section of ordinary T- rail, one end disposed at theconfluence of the inner rails of aside and main track, and the other endadapted to be shifted from one to the other of the diverging sections ofthe said inner rails of the two tracks; secondly, of mechanism foreffecting the automatic adjustmentor shifting of the frog-rail, and indetails of construction, substantially as hereinafter more fully setforth and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, A is a section of ordinaryT-rail, one end being disposed at the convergent ends of the inner railsof a side and a main track, A A and the other end capable of beingshifted from one to the other of the divergent ends of the said innerrails of the two tracks. The shifting railA, which takes the place ofthe usual frog heretofore employechis limited in its movement, in linewith either one or the other of the inner rails, as it is shifted by thepassing of the train of cars, either from one side to the other of themain track, by means of curved or bent-over bolts a, screwed into thebed-castin g means are used to secure the rails of the tracks A A inposition. The rails A and A are connected by the plate I), having adrain-opening, I), through it, the connection being at their ends partlywhere they abut the smaller or more adjustable end of rail-section A,and this connecting-plate additionally strengthens and secures them inposition. The shifting rail or frog A is pivoted in the bed B, having acountersunk socket or opening, 0, by means of a pin or pivot, c, fittingin said socket or opening, and having at its point of connection withthe rail a rounded or convex shoulder, 0 seated in the countersink ofthe aforesaid socket. The shoulder re-enforces or strengthens the pivotto prevent liability of breaking ofl', especially when the shifting railis exposed to friction or lateral thrust by the impingement of theflanges of the wheels of a passing train. From the same side of the railA depends a second pin or-stud, d, which works "in and passes throughand below a transverse slightly-curred slot, 6, in the bed B, as seen inFigs. 3 and 4.

O is a rod sliding in a passage in the bed B, as seen in Figs. 4 and 5,and exposed to the action of a spring, O,.preferably encircling it. Theinner end of this rod has an aperture which receives the pin or stud dof the rail A, which is connected to the rod by a removable pin, f,inserted into an aperture in the end of the rod and through an aperturein the stud d, as clearly seen in Figs. 4 and 5. The opposite end of therod 0 receives and permits of the screwing into it of a bevel-raced bar,0 therefore readily detachable or removable, and which extends justoutside of one of the sidetrack rails, as seen in Figs. 4 and 5.

D is a lever centrally supported by rods 9,

one arranged upon each side of its center, encircled by springs g, andadapted to move up and down in apertures g in one of the flanges of oneof the outer rails to enable the lever to stand just above the beveledface of the frogactuating bar 0 as seen in Figs. 2 and 4. In practicebar D will be so lengthened as to admit the full action of the shiftingrail A before the flange of the wheel has reached it, and suchconstruction will necessitate auxiliary springs similar to springs g,which will be located near the terminal point of bar D.

In the center of the lever D is a vertical slot, h, through which passesits pivotal bolt h, (see Figs. 2 and v4%,) inserted through the guard E,affixed to the rail flange or foot, and screwed into the web of the railand an intermediate plate, if desired. While the springs g hold thelower beveled point, i, of thelever D out of forcible contact with thebar (3 the slot h permits of the depression of the lever by the actionof the car-wheels when it is desired to bring the lever into forciblecontact with the aforesaid bar for shifting the rail or frog A.

Fitted upon the pivotal bolt h of the lever D is a plate,j, withitsedges bent so as to embrace the head of the bolt, and extended down soas -to coger the entrance of the sliding rod and bar passage to excludewater and dirt therefrom. Its lower end has a tooth or stud, It, on itsinside to enter an aperture, k, in the guard E. 4

It will be noticed that when the pivotal bolt is screwed home the upperend of the platej is slipped upon the head thereof, and its lowerportion sprung over the entrance of the sliding rod and bar passage, itstooth entering the aperture 70, thus effecting the simultaneous lockingof the boltor pivot against beingjarred loose by the motion of the cars,with the closing of said passage for the purpose above stated. As thewheel of the engine or car passes upon the end of the lever D next toit, and approaches the pivotal point of the lever, the shifting of thefrog-rail A will be commenced and be completed when the wheel reachesthe pivotal point of the lever, and thus allow the car or train to crossthe main track.- After the passage of the cars or train the spring uponthe rod 0 will automatically spring or return the frog-rail A in linewith the inner rail of the main track, and thus keep the main trackalways unbroken.

I claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat ent- 1. In an automaticrailwayfrog, the combination, with the frog-rail A, of the pivotal pinhaving a roumled'reinforcing shoulder fitted in a countersunk aperturein the bed or casting, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In an automatic railway-frog, the combination, with the shifting railA, of the springactuated rod 0 and its beveled bar 0, and means forimparting a sliding motion thereto by the action ofthe car or trainwheels, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In an automatic frog, the combination, with the shifting rail A,having connected thereto a spring-actuated rod, 0, providedwith abeveled bar, 0 of the lever D, having a beveled point and supported uponelastic bearings, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4:. In an automatic frog, the combination, with the headed pivotal boltof the lever D, of the plate j, adapted to embrace the head of the bolt,and to he sprung over and cover the entrance of the sliding-boltpassage, as ,set forth, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. In an automatic railway-frogythe combination, with the frog-operatingrod and bar 0 U having the beveled face, of the lever 1), having thebeveled point, and the vertical slot through which its pivot passes, andsupported in an elevated position out of forcible contact with theaforesaid bar upon springs encircling rods having vertical movement,substantial y as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS BREEN.

\Vitnesscs:

Gno. R. HERRICK, THOMAS W. FOWLER.

